Where are we now?
by VanillaShrimp
Summary: *spoilers* After the fall of the Director of Project Freelancer, the Reds and Blue have nothing to do now... Well, that's what they thought. Let the adventure continue with a new face making an appearance.
1. A Blue Beginning

After the fall of the Director from Project Freelancer, everything seemed to return to normal. Well, normal for a group of simulation soldiers who kept getting dragged into some unusual adventures that involve Freelancers and computer programs known as A.I. Upon arriving in their new canyon, the Blue Team and Red Team went their separate ways. Even knowing that the war they had been fighting with each other wasn't real, they still found comfort in being two teams and pretending to hate each other because of the different colour armour the other side wore. Sadly, one of the Blues, known as Church, disappeared along with an ex-Freelancer named Carolina.

The three soldiers who belonged to Blue Team, which in their own shade of blue armour, approached their new Blue Base. The base had been built into the side of the cliff of the canyon with the main entrance with no door for some reason. A couple of blue flags hung from the side of the base, most likely from the last group who lived in the base. A soldier, in cobalt colour armour with a yellow trim, stood upon a small hill and glared at the base. He could hear the other soldiers in his team having a conversation behind him but promptly ignored them. Something just didn't feel right. It felt like it was on the top of his tongue but he couldn't put his finger of what it.

He suddenly noticed movement of the corner his eye. A soldier dressed in teal armour had walked up beside him and stopped about a step away. Attached to the soldier's leg was energy sword that the soldier had acquired years ago while he held a standard issued SMG. There was now movement on the other side. A soldier in dark blue armour took up the spot on the other side but also a step away. No one said anything. It could have been because that we were trying to work out what was wrong with the base or they couldn't believe this was their new home.

"You know what?" asked the teal soldier, breaking the silences between the soldiers.  
"Hm? What? What is it, Tucker?" he replied, sounding hopefully that the one called Tucker noticed what was wrong with the base.  
"I could totally pick up chicks with this base." replied Tucker, sounding very excited at his newest revelation. "Possibly two or three chicks a flag, what do you think, Wash?"  
Washington let out a long sigh. He had expected Tucker to say something like that.  
"Hey, hey Washingtub." echoed a voice from the soldier in dark blue armour.  
"Yes, Caboose. What is it?" replied Wash, trying not to sound too hopefully with Caboose was about ask him.  
"Does Tucker get his own room? Oh! Oh! Do you get your own room? If not, you can share with me... I don't bite hard. Ask Tucker."  
Tucker suddenly turned and faced Caboose who kept staring at the base.  
"If you fucking bite me again, my sword isn't going to go where the sun don't shine." replied Tucker.

Washington had expected Caboose to say something stupid, it was Caboose after all. The same Caboose who killed a soldier from the same team as him, believes the same soldier thinks that he is Caboose's best friend and believes that the world they live is in fact a video game. Yea, Caboose was stupid and annoying but there was something about him that Washington couldn't put his finger on. Something about Caboose that made him feel at ease.

Tucker was being the same as always as well. From the moment Washington joined the Blue Team, he could tell what type of man Tucker was. It wasn't hard to miss. The way Tucker talked about ladies and what he wanted to do with them would make Washington feel a little uncomfortable. I mean, the only women Washington really had contacted with in the past were other Freelancers like South, Carolina, Tex and C.T. and he had never thought of them like that. They would have most likely beat the crap out of him if he did anyway. While Washington had retreated into his thoughts, he had forgotten of the conversation that Caboose and Tucker were having around him. When he finally returned to reality, Caboose had started jogging off towards the base with Tucker shouting to him.

"Do not touch anything, Caboose!" he shouted angrily.  
"Okay!" Caboose shouted back in reply as he disappeared into the base, leaving Tucker and Washington on the small hill outside.  
"Sometimes I wonder how you guys ever could work as a team." Washington said randomly. "  
Work? Nah, we're too lazy to work." Tucker replied. "That's why we never get anything done."  
"Well, whatever you call it, it seems to be working." Washington said as he started walking towards the base.

Tucker nodded and followed Washington. Tucker had gotten use to having an ex-Freelancer on their team. Wash had a couple of habits that he needed to get rid of from Project Freelancer. Things like sleeping with a gun under his pillow and a gun beside his pillow (Yes, he ever had to check) and making things a bit more formal then they should be. Yes, Washington is a properly trained soldier compared to anyone in this canyon. He had seen things that would haunt any normal soldier and his mind seemed a little messed up from having a crazy A.I. in his mind but other than that, Washington was ok. He just needed to loosen up a bit. A thought suddenly hit Tucker and he stopped dead in his tracks. No longer hearing Tucker's footsteps behind, Washington stopped and turned towards Tucker. He stood there silently, like he was thinking about something.

"What's wrong, Tucker?" Washington asked with caution, unsure what to actually say or ask him.  
"I didn't actually realize this till now." Tucker replied, sounding unsure of to say.  
"Yea, I had that feeling too. Something about this base is off but I can't put my finger on it."  
"No, it's not that."  
If Washington's face was visible through his visor, Tucker would see a confused expression suddenly appear on his face. They stared which other in silences for a moment before Tucker finally moved. He slowly turned around and stared at odd rock formations in the centre of the canyon.  
"Wash?"  
"Yes, Tucker?"  
"Where is Church?"

The question had caught Washington off guard. He opened his mouth to say something but quickly closed it when he realized he didn't have the answer. Instead, he looked over at the rock formation that Tucker was looking at. Church, also known as Epsilon, had disappeared shortly after they had arrived in the canyon. He knew Carolina, another ex-Freelancer who Washington use to work with in Project Freelancer, must have had something to do with Church's disappearances because she had also disappeared.

"Don't worry." Washington suddenly said as he turned his attention back to Tucker. "He's not gone, he didn't say goodbye. You know what he's like."  
Tucker's head sunk to ground slowly and stared at the dirt. A couple of seconds later, his head sprung up and turned around cheerfully.  
"Nyeh, whatever. Do we have any food?" Tucker suddenly said as he trotted pass Washington and towards the base.

Washington stood silently. Trying to let what just happen sink in. He let out a long sigh and he turned on his heels and begun walking towards the base with his head down low. When he finally looked up, Tucker had disappeared into the base, leaving Washington on a lonely walk. Washington retreated to his thoughts once more as he slowly walked. An old memory had surfaced in his mind, something that he had thought he had forgotten about long ago. He remembered when he had first met Church and how he thought how much he acted like the Director. He didn't know at the time but Church was really a fragment of A.I. known as Alpha who shared a similar personality to the Director of Project Freelancer. Epsilon was his name. Epsilon was meant to be Washington's A.I. till something had gone wrong. He wasn't too sure on the details on what had happened but he saw a face. It was the face of a women and she was starting directly at him. Her voice echoed in his mind.

"Don't say goodbye, I hate goodbyes." She said softly, like she was taking to someone close. He voice had stayed in his head for weeks afterwards but he couldn't shake that feeling like he knew her when he had never met her. It wasn't till after the fall of Project Freelancer and truth had come out. He had remembered Tex saying something similar but he never pieced the two together. Maybe Church had disappeared with Carolina to go find Tex or do something about what was left of Project Freelancer, who knows. All that Washington knew was that Church never said goodbye.

"'Never say goodbye. If you don't say goodbye then you aren't really gone... you just aren't here right now." Washington said out loud as he stopped in the doorway of the main entrance to the base. "Church, you better come back. You still owe us a cheesy, forgiveness speech after all..." He chuckled to himself before a loud crashing sound echoed through the base.  
"I told you now to touch anything!" shouted Tucker angrily.  
"Tucker did it." Caboose said  
"I'm right here! Don't blame me!"


	2. A Mysterious Little Girl?

It seemed that the new canyon that the Reds and Blues had moved into had a new sun and moon cycle because after a while, the sun begun to set and the darkness took over the canyon. The Blues all met for dinner in their new dining hall before Tucker and Caboose retired to their quarters for the night.  
After dinner had concluded, Washington bid the other Blues goodnight and then moved towards the showers. The battle with the Tex robots in the Freelancer storage facility had caused him to work up a nice sweat. He knew a nice hot shower would help. The only noise that filled the base were the sounds of Washington's metal feet clanging against the ground has he made his way to the showers. He passed by Caboose's room and stopped. The door to Caboose's room had been drawn, most likely by Caboose himself. On the door were four poorly drawn figures in different shades of blue, most likely to symbolize Caboose, Tucker, Washington and Church. Caboose, Washington and Church were all standing together while Tucker had been place on the opposite of the door. Caboose didn't really like Tucker that much because he always thought Tucker was trying to steal Church from him.

As he studied the door a little bit more, he suddenly heard an unusual noise coming from inside Caboose's room. He stepped closer and pressed his ear against the door. The noise was hard to make out but it almost sounded like someone was crying. Washington kept listening. He heard someone mumble something in the room but it was muffled by the door. If Caboose was crying, Washington didn't know what to do. He's never had to deal with a soldier crying but it was Caboose. At the same time, Caboose wasn't someone who let things get to him. He always seemed to have a smile on his face. Well, from what Washington could see, Caboose always seemed happy and always seemed to enjoy himself no matter the situation.

Washington let out a silent sigh and pushed himself away from the door. He decided to leave Caboose alone for the time being. There wasn't going to be much to do tomorrow anyway so he decided to confront Caboose about it then. He paused for a moment before continuing down the corridor of the base.  
Washington needed to turn one more corner and then he would be at the shower room. He was glad he didn't have to pass by Tucker's room. God knows what that soldier was doing at this hour in his room by himself. Washington shivered at the thought as he entered the shower room. As expected, it was empty. On the left side of the room were a row of showers that were separated by foggy glass screens and on the other were a row of lockers with a long bench in the middle of the room. Before dinner, Washington had organized things like towels and other items that the Blue were going to need in order to survive out in this canyon. A pile of towels sat on the end of the bench, ready to be used.

He made his way to the very last locker and opened it. It was empty. As if he was actually going to expect stuff to be in there from the last group of soldiers. Luckily, the locker was big enough to fix Washington's armour inside it. He wasn't a fan of leaving it lying around where anyone could get to it especially Caboose. He quickly removed his armour and wrapped a towel around the lower half of his body. Once he made sure the towel wasn't going to fall down, he raised his arms above his head and flexed his muscles. His time with Project Freelancer had done wonders to his body. The amount of special training he had to do, to complete the missions they were assigned, had made Washington very slim and quite strong. Once Washington's armour had been placed in the locker, he turned towards the shower directly opposite him and quickly entered it. He could feel chills running up his back from the cold. He removed the towel and placed it over the screen so it was out of the way of the water. He reached down to the tap and was about to turn it when he heard strange noise behind. He turned around quickly but no one was there. The locker where he had left his armour had been left open so he could see it at all times. He heard the noise again. This time, the noise was a little louder. It sounded almost like an electrical circuit.

"Whose there?" Washington asked loudly. "Answer me!"  
He received no response and then the sound disappeared. A feeling of calmness washed over him as he let out a sigh of relief. Being un-armed was not one of his favourite feelings in the world. Even with the Reds who lived on the other side of the canyon, and were basically harmless, Washington still felt safer then when he was at Project Freelancer.

A couple of minutes passed before he turned back around and finally turned the water on. The cool water hit his bare skin as it slowly begun to warm up. For as long as he could remember, water seemed to have a calming effect on him. Whether it was to calm his nerves before a mission or to unwind after a successful mission, he always found himself near water. He placed his head under the water before removing it and running his hand through his short hair. Unlike the other Freelancers, Washington had decided to keep the standard army haircut because he found it fitted him better than any other hairstyle that he had tried in the past.  
There he went again, disappearing into his thought once more. He had caught himself doing that a lot recently. Maybe he was beginning to miss his days in Project Freelancer, even after all the shit he had gone through. However, most of the old memories he visited always brought him back to the team he belonged too. Even though he was most likely the worse Freelancer on the team at the time, he knew things had changed about himself since the failed implantation of his A.I. unit.  
Suddenly, memories from Epsilon, his A.I., flowed back into his mind, causing him to grab his head in pain. It was because of Epsilon that he was now like this, a cynical, jaded and somewhat cold-hearted solider but he couldn't blame Epsilon. All he held were the memories of Alpha; it was the all Director's doing.

"Don't say goodbye..." echoed the female voice from the memory again.  
"...I hate goodbyes." Washington said, finishing off her sentence.  
A couple of minutes passed before the pain in his head slowly begun to disappear and the memories returned to their hiding place in his mind. He let out a sigh and turned the shower off. It was getting late and he need all the rest he could get for tomorrow, if there was anything important to do tomorrow. He grabbed the towel and as he wrapped it around the lower half of his body, someone behind him giggled. For some reason, the giggle sounded like it belonged to a little girl. He suddenly spun around, hoping to catch the girl who was giggling but no one was there.

"Ok! I know someone is there!" Washington shouted into the seemingly empty room. "Show yourself!"  
The girl started giggling again but Washington couldn't tell where the giggling was coming from. He walked out of the shower stall and slowly inched his way closer to his weapons.  
"You might want to pull your towel up, Mister Wash" echoed the female voice.  
Washington looked confused for a moment, trying to comprehend what she had said before realizing that his towel had slipped down slightly. He quickly stopped and pulled it back up before looking around, hoping she didn't see much.  
"Who are you? And how do you know who I am?" he asked calmly, still slightly embarrassed.  
"Epsilon was here, correct? But now he is gone?" she asked him, ignoring his questions.  
Washington took a step closer towards his armour.  
"Answer my question first. How do you know who I am?"  
"You were friends with someone I know, someone I am very close too." she replied.  
"You must have me mistaken for someone else. I don't have any friends." He said as he had finally reached his armour and weapons.  
He grabbed his pistol suddenly and pointed it around the room.  
"Those two soldiers living in the base with you beg to differ. My turn now. Epsilon was here, correct?"  
Washington hesitated for a moment. Something in the back of his head was nibbling at him to tell her that he was here because there was something familiar about the way she spoke but at the same time, something was telling him not to tell her as he didn't know what her motives were for wanting Epsilon.  
"Well?"  
"He was here but he is gone."  
"I see. I'm assuming you have no idea where he had gone or who is might be with?"  
Remembering that Church must have disappeared with Carolina, he decided that he wasn't going to tell the mystery girl who he couldn't see.  
"No idea."  
"Very well, Wash."  
"My turn. Show yourself. Now!" he said angrily, he didn't like not being able to see who was talking to him.  
There was silence. He quickly moved into the centre of the room and stepped up onto the bench. He kept his gun pointed at the doorway as it was the only entrance/exit to the room. The female voice started chuckling to herself, as if she was mocking him.  
"You think it's just that easy to get me to show myself? My partner said you weren't the brightest Freelancer before your implantation of Epsilon failed but she had noticed a difference afterwards..."  
Washington was speechless. How did the little girl know about that part of his past? Did the little girl's partner belong to Project Freelancer? How else was she able to obtain such information? So many questions began running through his mind, he couldn't keep up with himself.  
"All in good time, Mister Wash. The time will come when you'll meet us both. Well, met both of us again. Until then..." she said to a speechless Washington. "... make sure you clean everywhere."

As soon as she had finished talking, she chuckled once more and the lights flickered for a moment before returning to normal. Washington lowered his gun. Sometime in his mind was telling him that the little girl's voice was gone. Unsure what to make of what had just happened; he quickly put his armour back on and walked swiftly out of shower room.

A dark shadowy figure stood upon the edge of the cliff to the canyon. The figure stared down at the Blue base below, almost as if they were waiting for something to happen...


End file.
